Hatch cover



2,831,448 HATCH COVER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 22, 1958 G. E. suDERow Filed Nov. 17, 195s lNvENTOR mwa) v ATTORN EY April 22, 1958 G. E. SUDEROW HATCH COVER 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 17, 1953 INVENTOR a Mt/vw;

April 22 1958 G. E. sUDERow 2,831,448

HATCH COVER 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 17, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 22, 1958 G. E. sUDERow HATCH COVER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 17, 1953 April 22, 1958 G. E. suDERow HATCH COVER 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 17, 1953 INVENTOR ATT( NEY April 22, 1958 G. E. sUDERoW HATCH' COVER 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 17, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEY 2,831,448 HATCHCOVER George E. Suderow, New York, N. Y.

Application November 17, 1953, Serial No. 395,658 (Filed under Rule 47(1)) and 35 U. S. C. 118) 4 Claims. (Cl. 114-202) This invention relates to hatch covers for ships and more particularly to waterproof hatch covers of the type arranged to slide onto and from the hatch and to be self-supporting from the deck when slid od the hatch.

It has heretofore been customary to close cargo hatches by placing a large number of wooden or metal planks side-by-side across the hatch and covering them with tarpaulin which is then lashed down to give a watertight closure. In order to open the hatch to load or unload cargo, it is necessary to unlash and remove the tarpaulin and take o the planks one by one. On a large ship, the opening and closing of a hatch may require several hours, and considerable labor. the planks must be stacked on the deck, taking up valuable space, and hindering the loading and unloading. The maintenance of a large ship in port is very costly and any steps which can be taken to reduce the loading and unloading time aid materially in economical operation.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a waterproof hatch coverarrangement which can be fully opened in a very short time.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of sectional hatch cover to enable a long hatch to be readily uncovered and the covers to be stowed clear of the hatchway by one continuous pull of the Winch.

A still further `object of the invention is to provide a construction of telescoping hatch covers capable of being drawn back at any time to uncover the hatch, and of such construction that when closed, all water will be excluded from the hatch opening.

. A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction of hatch cover which is capable of being readily sealed and unsealed to eiect a water-tight closure for the hatch opening.

These and other objects are accomplished 'by the following invention, wherein the telescoping sections of the hatch cover are mounted on rollers which are adapted to be raised or lowered by means of a horizontally travelling vjacking beam to make and break the Iseal between the instant invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of the hatch cover shown in the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the hatch cover showing the cover in the open position in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the inner end of the outer section of the hatch cover in sealed position;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the cover in unsealed position;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. l showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the hatch pover in the open position;

the accompanying Moreover,

2,831,448 Patented Apr. 22, 1958 Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevationv of one end of the hatch with the cover in the open position;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of the form of the shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation of one corner thereof;

Fig. 12 is a cross-section taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 6; c

Fig. 13 is a cross-section taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 is a cross-section taken on the line 14--14 of Fig. 7.

In general, the invention contemplates a hatch having a coaming, the inside of which is free of obstructions, and having a peripheral ange or runway mounted on the outside of the coaming with a pair ofcontinuous weatherstrips carried on the ange or runway slightly beyond the coaming itself. In such form, the wheels of each of the cover sections roll upon the ange or runway outside one of the weatherstrips and, in order that the wheels may be lowered beneath the level of the flange or runway for the purpose of applying the weight of the cover to the weatherstrip when the cover is substantially in closed rice invention position, the flange or runway is cut away at particular stations and horizontally travelling jacking beam arrangements are provided for receiving and handling the wheels.'

The hatch covers include at least two sections to each cover, with the inner and outer edges of each section provided with wheeled supports. The wheeled supports at the outer edge of the linner section are adapted to travel on the surface of the outer section, whereas the outer wheeled supports are adapted to travel on the runways.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the general arrangement of the hatch when in closed position is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The dotted lines in Fig. 2 show the general arrangement of the hatch when in open position. The port and starboard portions of the cover are generally similar except for means for sealing andlocking the free ends of the covers together when the hatch is closed. As shown, each portion of the cover comprises two sections, an outer section 10, 10 and an inner section 11, 11'. As. illustrated, each section of the cover portion is a rigid composite structure comprising a coverv plate 12, peripheral reinforcing members 13, and transverse beams 14. This general structure ofthe cover sections is not a part of the present invention and is merely illustrative of a typical cover structure that is suitable;

kThe hatch opening illustrated herein is of rectangular shape with square corners. The coaming 15, which extends upwardly a suitable distance from the deck, has a continuous flat upper` surface and is surrounded on its outer surface near the upper edge thereof by a flange or runway 16 which may be welded or otherwise secured to the coaming.

Mounted on the ange or runway 16 along the two sides of the coaming, as best shown in Fig. 3, is a pair of continuous weatherstrips 17 and .18. The inner weatherstrip 17 is located slightly removed outwardly from the coaming 15, whereas the outer weatherstrip 13 is located somewhat further outwardly from the inner weatherstrip. The weatherstrips preferably are formed of bar stock of rectangular cross-section welded to the top of the ange. Mounted on the flange or runway 1.6 along the two ends of the coaming is a single weatherstrip which, in effect, is a continuation of the inner side weatherstrip 17.

Peripherally of each of the covers a downwardly extending bracket 19, 20 is provided. Mounted on the lower edge of each of the brackets is a channel 21, 22cartrying within it aresilientgasket, 24 which is adapted of the cover.

to engage the weatherstrips 17, 18 to form a peripheral( seal when the cover is in the closed position.

lt is to be understood that the structure is continuous near, the ,periphery on three sides of the outercover'section 1t), 10 and is present near each Vouter edge of the inner cover section 11, 11.

As the form of the hatch cover herein illustrated .comprises two sections to each portion of the cover, it will be readily understood that sealing means are required between the meeting edges of the two portions of the cover as well as the meeting edges of the sections of the cover for rendering them watertight when the cover is e.osed. The method of sealing these edges will be described hereinafter.

The inner sections 11, 11 of the hatch cover .have a width slightly greater than the width of the outer sections lil, 1h. At a point near the lower end of the downwardly extending brackets 19 near the inner and outer ends thereof are mounted wheels 25, 26. The wheels 25, 26 are adapted to travel on the flange or runway 16 slightly outwardly from the weatherstrip 17 and inwardly from a guide bar 27 which is welded to the Hanne 1.6 inwardly from the outer weatherstrip 1S. Near the inner end of the downwardly extending brackets 23 on the inner section 11 of the cover are mounted wheels 2S. The wheels 2S are adapted to travel on the flange or runway 16 slightly outwardly from the weatherstrip 18 and inwardly from an outer guide bar 29, which is welded to the outer edge of the flange 16. Wheels 30 are mounted near the outer end of the inner section 11 The wheels 30 are adapted to travel on the surface of the outer section of the cover.

The flange or runway 16 is cut away at several points to form openings 31, 32 and 33 therethrough. The open ings 3l are located at the location of the wheels 26 when the cover is in closed position. The openings 32 are located at the location of the wheels l when the cover closed. The openings 33 are located at the location of the wheels 28 when the cover is closed. Directly beneath the flange or runway 16 is located a horizontally travelling jacking beam 34. The upper surface of the jacking beam 34 is provided with a plurality of cammed surfaces 35, each of which is located adjacent to one of the openings 31, 32 and 33. The upper surface 36 of the cammed surfaces 35 is on a level with the runway `16, whereas the lower surface 37 of the cammed surfaces 35 is below the level of the runway 16. Thus, when the jacking beam 34 is positioned so that the cammed surface 35 is located with the upper surface 36 adjacent to the openings in the runway, the runway 16 isfcontinuous with the jacking beam filling the opening therein at the same level as the remainder of the runway. By shifting the jacking beam in a horizontal direction so that the lower surface of the jacking beam is adjacent to the openings in the runway, then the surface of the. jacking beam adjacent to the openings in the runway is at a lower level than the remainder of the runway.

Thus, in operation, to close the hatch cover, the jacking beam is shifted horizontally until the upper surface 36 of the cammed surface 35 is adjacent to the openings in the runway. The hatch cover is then rolled onto the hatch to the closed position, whereupon the wheels 25, 26 and 28 are resting upon the cammed surfaces through the openings in the runway. To seal the hatch. cover in closed position, the horizontal jacking beam is shifted horizontally, thereby moving the wheels downwardly along the cammed surface until they are resting on the lower portion 37 thereof. The wheels are now .located below the surface of the runway 16 and the entire cover has been lowered so that the weatherstrips 17 and '18 are now in engagement with the resilient gaskets 23 :and 24, respectively, to give a watertight peripheral seal.

.It is obvious that the seal may be broken and the Ahatch cover opened by again shifting the jacking vbeam horizontally so 'that .the'wheels travellupward along the cammed surfaces 35 until they are level with the remainder of the runway. The hatch cover can then be opened by a continuous pull on the winch, whereupon the wheels travel along the runway 16 until the two portions of the cover have moved from above the hatch opeing. The means for activating the horizontally moving jacking beam is not shown. However, any suitable means can be used for this purpose.

Beyond the hatch at each end thereof is located a raised track 4) elevated above the level of the deck so as to be in horirontal alignment with the flange or runway' 16. Thus, the wheels can readily travel from the runway 16 onto the track 49 when opening the hatch cover. The track 4@ is of such a length that it is adapted to support both the inner and outer sections of the hatch cover when in the open position and thus completely uncover the hatch opening.

The inner section lli of the Vhatch cover is adapted to telescope over the outer section l" when in the open position, so that the two sections in telescoped position occupy little more space than one section of the cover.

The ange 16 may be formed of channel members. lt is seen in Fig. 3 that wheels 25 and 26 will travel along the upper surface of the flange i6 along the inner half thereof, whereas the wheels 23 will travel along the upper surface of the ilange 16 along the outer half thereof. This is due to the inner section 11 of the cover being wider than the outer section thereof.

The rigging arrangement for opening Vand closing the covers is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1. A single endless operating cable is provided about suitably placed sheaves so that the cable surrounds the hatch on three sides thereof. At one end of the hatch suitable auxiliary shifting cables 46, 47 are provided for shifting the position of the operating cable 45 in either direction. At each corner of the actuating end of the hatch are provided a pair of sheaves 48, 49 and 48', 4.19, whereas at the two remaining corners is provided a single sheave 56, 50. The operating cable 45 is reeved about sheave 49, thence about sheave 50 and back to sheave 4S, thence about sheave 4S' and around sheave S0", thence back to sheave 49. The portion of the operating cable extending between sheaves 49 and 50 is attached at point 51 to the inner section 11 of the cover adjacent to the wheel 28. The portion of the operating cable extending between sheaves S) and 48 is attached at point 52 to the inner section 11 of the cover adjacent to its wheel 28. Likewise, the portions of the operating .cable extending between sheaves 48' and 50' and between sheaves 50' and 49' are respectively attached at points 53 and 54 to the inner sections 11 and 11'.

Thus, when shifting cable 47 is actuated, points 51 and 53 on the operating cable 4S are advanced Yto the Aright and points 52 and 54 are moved to the left, thereby opening the inner sections 11, 11 of the cover with the outer wheels 30 travelling on the surface of the outer sections 10, 10' of the cover.

`When the inner edge of the inner section 11, 11" contacts the inner edge of the outer section 10, 10', both sections continue to travel simultaneously with the inner section pushing the outer section until the open position is reached.

To close the hatch, Vshifting cable 46 is actuated, thereby advancing points 51 and 53 to the left and points 52 and 54 to the right, thus moving the inner Sections 11, 11 toward the center of the hatch. When the member 69 (Fig. S) on the inner section contacts the I beam 68 on the outer section, the inner section pulls the outer section along until the closed position is reached.

A slightly modified form of the invention is shown in Figs. 6-13. In this form of the invention, a somewhat different rigging is utilized and rails are provided on which the wheels travel. Further, the use of gaskets is omitted.

As best shown in Figs. 7 and l1, an outer-rail -60 is provided extending along each side of the hatch opening on the ange or runway 16. An inner rail 61 is likewise provided on the flange or runway 16, inwardly from rail 60 adjacent the outer Sections 10, 10 of the hatch cover. The wheels 28 of the inner sections 11, 11 are adapted to travel on the rails 60, whereas the wheels 25, 26 on the outer sections 10, are adapted to travel on the rails 61. A plurality of rails 62 are provided on the upper surface of the outer sections 10, 10 on which the wheels 30 are adapted to travel.

At the meeting edges of the two inner sections is provided a bumper arrangement, as shown in Fig. 12. On the inner edge of the inner section 11 is provided a channel 65 holding a gasket 66 therein. The inner edge of the inner section 11 carries a member 67 adapted to contact the gasket 66 when the covers are closed.

An I beam 68 is provided across the inner edges of the outer sections 10, 10', which is adapted to be contacted by a member 69 attached to the underside of the outer edge of the inner sections 11, 11'. In closing the covers, the member 69 engages the I beam 68 as the inner sections are closing to move the outer sections to their closed position. The arrangement at the meeting edges and the inner sections and the joints of the inner and outer sections act to prevent the entry of water into the hatch.

As shown in Fig. 13, at the meeting joint between the inner and outer sections at each side of the hatch is provided a member 70 to prevent the entry of water in the vertical space between the two sections.

The rigging arrangement for opening and closing the covers in this form of the invention, includes a pair of sheaves 71, 71', 72, 72', 73, 73 and 74, 74' at each corner of the hatch. The sheaves in each corner are -arranged one above the other on the same axis. An upper endless operating cable 75 is reeved about the four upper sheaves 71, 72, 73 and 74, and a lower endless operating cable 76 is reeved about the four lower sheaves 71', 72', 73 and 74.

A member 80 is secured to the lower operating cable adjacent to the starboard end of the hatch. A shifting cable 81 is attached at its one end to the member 80 and its other end is wound about a winch 82. A shifting cable 83 is likewise attached to the member 80 and is wound about a second winch 84. Winches 82, 84 are shown to be hand operated, however, power operated Winches can likewise be used. As the winch 82 is rotated to wind Ithe shifing cable 81 thereon, the lower operating cable 76 is shifted toward the left, as illustrated in Fig. 11, while the shifting cable 83 is unwound from its winch 84. Conversely, as the shifting cable 83 is wound onto its winch 84, the lower operating cable 76 is shifted to the right and shifting cable 81 is unwound from its winch 82.

At point 85 on the lower operating cable 76 between sheaves 71 and 74', the cable 76 is fastened to the inner section 11' and at point 86 thereon between sheaves 72' and 73' the cable 75 is fastened to the inner section 11.

Thus, it is seen that the lower operating cable is shifted directly by the rotation of the Winches 82 and 84, which, in turn, acts to open and close the hatch cover sections, and shift the upper operating cable.

In operation, to close the hatch cover, the winch 84 is rotated to wind the shifting cable 83 thereon, thereby shifting member 80 and operating cable 76 to the right. Due to being fastened at points 85 and 86 to the inner sections 11, 11', the inner sections are moved to the closed position. When the members 69 engage beams 68, the inner and outer sections move simultaneously until the closed position is reached. While the cover is moving to the closed position, the upper operating cable 75, being attached at points 87 and 88 to the inner sections, moves in the opposite direction than the lower cable 76.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A watertight hatch comprising a coaming having a runway mounted on opposite sides thereof, more than one weatherstrip mounted on each of said runways spaced at varying distances from said coaming, a trackway located between each pair of weatherstrips, a trackway located outwardly of the outermost weatherstrip, a hatch cover, the cover comprising more than one section adapted to telescope one within the other, said successive upper sections of the cover each being wider than the next lower section, gaskets mounted on the underside of the side edges of said covers, said weatherstrips being so located that said gaskets and said weatherstrips are in alignment when the cover is closed, and wheels mounted at the side edges of said covers outwardly of said gaskets, said wheels being so located that said wheels and said track ways are in alignment when the cover is closed.

2. A watertight hatch comprising a flat topped coaming upstanding from the deck, side and end flanges mounted externally of and surrounding said coaming, a raised track at each end of the coaming in alignment with said side flanges and at the same elevation, an inner weatherstrip mounted on each flange slightly outwardly from said coaming, an outer weatherstrip mounted on said side flanges spaced outwardly from said inner weatherstrip, a first trackway on said side flanges located between said weatherstrips, a second trackway on said side flanges located outwardly of said outer weatherstrip, a hatch cover comprising two sections adapted to telescope one within the other, said upper section of the cover being wider than said lower section, wheeled supports extending downwardly at each side of said lower section at both the inner and outer edges thereof adapted to travel on said first trackway, wheeled supports extending downwardly at each side of the inner edge of said upper section adapted to travel on said second trackway, wheeled supports on the outer edge o-f said upper section adapted to travel on the upper surface of said lower section, gaskets mounted on the sides of said sections, in alignment with said weatherstrips, whereby when said hatch cover is lowered into closed position, said weatherstrips engage said gaskets to form a watertight peripheral seal around said hatch.

3. A watertight hatch in accordance with claim 2, wherein means are provided for lowering said wheels from the level of said trackways to a level below said trackways to enable said weatherstrips to engage said gaskets and for raising said wheels back to the level of said runways to disengage said weatherstrips and said gaskets.

4. A watertight hatch in accordance with claim 3, wherein said means include openings in said rst and second trackways and a horizontally travelling jacking beam having an upper cammed surface thereon in alignment with said openings.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,112,009 Holloran Sept. 29, 1914 1,126,380 Brown et al. Jan. 26, 1915 1,714,460 Brady May 21, 1929 1,824,910 MacGregor Sept. 29, 1931 2,194,012 Dawson Mar. 19, 1940 2,301,568 Moss Nov. 10, 1942 2,656,810 lernstrom Oct. 27, 1953 2,707,928 Farrell May 10, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 158,323 Great Britain Ian. 31, 1921 564,809 Great Britain Oct. 13, 1944 836,608 Germany Apr. 15, 1952v 1,022,796 France Dec. 17, 1952 1,034,395 France Apr. 8, 1953 

